Otterbein University
Westerville, OH · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Otterbein University admitted 84.5% of applicants university-wide (3,316 of 3,923).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 84.5% | 3,316 | 3,923 |
| In-state | 75.0% | 1,800 | 2,400 |
| Out-of-state | 70.0% | 350 | 500 |
| International applicants | 70.0% | 70 | 100 |
| Men | 85.8% | 1,237 | 1,441 |
| Women | 83.8% | 2,078 | 2,480 |
Also offers Early Action (closes Dec 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.
Of 3,316 admitted students, 586 enrolled (17.7% yield).
Otterbein University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 22–28
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 2.50–3.74
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Otterbein University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $55,038/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $35,548 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $19,490 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $55,038/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $12,458 |
| $30k–48k | $12,659 |
| $48k–75k | $16,478 |
| $75k–110k | $23,061 |
| Over $110k | $24,620 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Presidential Scholarship — $22,000 (Full Tuition)
- Trustee Scholarship — $20,000 per year (Trustee)
- Dean's Scholarship — $18,000 (Merit)
- Academic Excellence Scholarship — $10,000 per year (Merit)
- Departmental Scholarships — $500 – $4,000 (Departmental)
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Scholarship — $2,000 per year (International Aid)
- Otterbein Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- Presidential Scholarship — $22,000 (Full Tuition)
- International Freshman Scholarship — $12,000 - $20,000 per year (International Aid)
- Trustee Scholarship — $20,000 per year (Trustee)
- Dean's Scholarship — $18,000 (Merit)
- International Transfer Scholarship — $10,000 - $15,000 per year (International Aid)
- Academic Excellence Scholarship — $10,000 per year (Merit)
- Departmental Scholarships — $500 – $4,000 (Departmental)
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Scholarship — $2,000 per year (International Aid)
- Otterbein Grant — Varies (Need Based)
Otterbein University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Common Application
- Official High School Transcript
- Personal Essay (250 words)
- Letter of Recommendation (recommended)
- Application fee
International applicants
- Common Application
- Official High School Transcript
- Personal Essay (250 words)
- Letter of Recommendation (recommended)
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Otterbein University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
Otterbein University requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $53,313
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 67.9%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 80%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $26,000
- At graduation
Otterbein University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Deadlines
- 2026-11-15Early Decision — Binding early round
- 2027-08-15Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Otterbein University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C21–C22 · 2023
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (15%), Biological & life sciences (13%), Visual & performing arts (8%).
Student–faculty ratio: 12:1 · 56% of class sections have under 20 students.
Otterbein University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.